Remembering those lost at sea
THE ANNUAL Kilmore Quay Memorial Service for those who have lost their lives at sea will take place at the Memorial Garden in Kilmore Quay at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 17.
This year, the service will reflect on the events of 100 years ago when, on October 10, 1918, the Royal Mail steamer ‘Leinster’ departed Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) on its regular trip to Holyhead, with 757 people on board.
Close to Kish Bank, 12 miles east of Kingstown, the ship was struck by a torpedo from a German U-boat. A second torpedo struck and the ship quickly sank.
Over 500 lives were lost in what was one of Ireland’s greatest maritime disasters, including a number of Wexford people.
The service will also remember the 61 people who perished in the Tuskar Air Tragedy on March 24, 1968, an event which brought heartbreak to many, including communities along the local coastline.
The Memorial Trail and Garden is located on a site near Forlorn Point overlooking the area aptly named ‘The Graveyard of a Thousand Ships’.
It was constructed as a community project, supported by local groups, the Department of the Marine, Wexford County Council, Aer Lingus and the many people who contributed both time and money.